Singapore attorney general to sue Wall Street Journal Asia
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Singapore's attorney-general's office is taking legal action against the Wall Street Journal Asia and two editors over articles allegedly casting doubt on the judiciary's integrity, it said.
A statement on the website of the Attorney-General's Chambers said the articles "impugn on the impartiality, integrity and independence of the Singapore judiciary."
The High Court has granted permission for the contempt proceedings to be initiated, a court spokesperson told AFP.
Facing contempt charges are the newspaper's publisher Dow Jones Publishing Company (Asia), Inc, international editor Daniel Hertzberg and managing editor Christine Glancey, according to the statement.
The articles, which were published in June and July, involve two editorials and a letter by Singapore pro-democracy activist Chee Soon Juan.
"The items allege that the Singapore judiciary is not independent. It is further insinuated that the Singapore judiciary is biased and lacks integrity," the statement said.
"These allegations and insinuations in these items are unwarranted."
Singaporean leaders have won hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages in defamation cases against critics and foreign publications, which they say are necessary to protect their reputation from unfounded attacks.
In a recent case, founding father Lee Kuan Yew and his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, sued the editor of the Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) and its owners, alleging defamation in an article centred on an interview with Chee.
The government has also banned distribution of the magazine, which is the Wall Street Journal Asia's sister publication, saying it had failed to comply with media regulations.
Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has persistently ranked Singapore in the bottom of its annual index of press freedom.
But the attorney-general said the case against the Wall Street Journal Asia was not about freedom of expression but about the rule of law.
"An unwarranted attack against the integrity, impartiality and independence of the Singapore judiciary is an assault on the rule of law in Singapore," it said.
Source: MSN News
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All these damages awarded were meted out by Singapore judges in Singapore courts, which was already tainted with accusations of judicial bias.
If our leaders want to show the world how impartial our courts are, they should take these issues to another impartial world court.
Strange logic this be, if you accuse someone (Mr. A) that he is a liar, Mr. A brings a legal suit against you to which he is also the judge.
How impartial can such a system be?
The plantiff is both the judge, jury and executioner.
If the case were to be put on trial here, I would suggest Wall Street Journal negotiate for an out of court settlement and a letter of apology.
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Wao LoL.. Even people outside SG are not free to critisize SG.. And here i thought the govt is encouraging free speech by opening up speakers corner... Ok strictly speaking freedom of speech within boundaries decided by the government are contradictions in terms
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Dishonorable despots....
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wow, chance to earn money! US money . dont play play
can sue for 1 million = SGD 2 million = more progress package payout!
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Originally posted by SPLIT SECOND:
wow, chance to earn money! US money . dont play play
can sue for 1 million = SGD 2 million = more progress package payout!
What progress package payout??? you wait long long..the money will be use to balance the lost in their investments and thereafter, minister's paid increment. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
What progress package payout??? you wait long long..the money will be use to balance the lost in their investments and thereafter, minister's paid increment.at east we dont get the benefits directly. but it will have an offset effect. Extra $$$ will show our economy in good light.
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Originally posted by ulquiorra87:
Wao LoL.. Even people outside SG are not free to critisize SG.. And here i thought the govt is encouraging free speech by opening up speakers corner... Ok strictly speaking freedom of speech within boundaries decided by the government are contradictions in terms
U thot only, u think PM said more freedom of speech meaning more freedom to talk about politics huh??? He is referring to other like sex, economy, crimes and social issues, not politics ok. -
anyone has figures on the financial profile of wall street journal?
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They think they can get those ang moh so easily? Those foreign court wouldn't let them win one la...
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Originally posted by SPLIT SECOND:
at east we dont get the benefits directly. but it will have an offset effect. Extra $$$ will show our economy in good light.
there will be no extra, with so much loss, they are struggling to breakeven, where got extra, unless they are willing to come out of their own pocket money, then that will be a different story. Can i sue the govt for increasing ERP, powersupply bills and transport fares?? They just increased without consulting us?? Is this democracy or Demoncrazy rules??Now that the oil price is down, howcome transport and powersupply bills is not down?? Can i sue them for overcharging us??
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Originally posted by zenden9:
They think they can get those ang moh so easily? Those foreign court wouldn't let them win one la...
Yalor, they just withdrawn their business here, we collapse liao. And further more our govt also not so big like their size. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
Yalor, they just withdrawn their business here, we collapse liao. And further more our govt also not so big like their size.careful with ang mo, they have national pride and many companies will withdraw from doing business in singapore. And singapore doesnt have a big presence in their rmedia in positive light thoug US and Singapore does cooperate on lots of things. Its not like Australia sending troops into Irag to aid missions.
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Originally posted by SPLIT SECOND:
careful with ang mo, they have national pride and many companies will withdraw from doing business in singapore. And singapore doesnt have a big presence in their rmedia in positive light thoug US and Singapore does cooperate on lots of things. Its not like Australia sending troops into Irag to aid missions.
Yalor, actually singapore govt beri stupid one, the more you sue the journal, the more famous the journal become, my daddy and his frens alway ask my brother who do business in HK to buy the banned far east economic review for them...peoples like to read banned papers and journals, in fact their sales had improved tremedously after singapore banned them. So they dun mind paid a bit so as to get free advertisment and marketing fees, and become most wanted journal around the region. -
Originally posted by angel7030:
Yalor, actually singapore govt beri stupid one, the more you sue the journal, the more famous the journal become, my daddy and his frens alway ask my brother who do business in HK to buy the banned far east economic review for them...peoples like to read banned papers and journals, in fact their sales had improved tremedously after singapore banned them. So they dun mind paid a bit so as to get free advertisment and marketing fees, and become most wanted journal around the region.itz like someone who wen to jail and wrote a book, it became a huge success.
The people they are going to sue, will turn this around and make themselves popular by going to CNN, Fox news and BBC shouting " protect freel Journalism ethics and rights" . They will then start to publish their own articles regarding the defamation case week by week, most people interested in some kick arse politic will buy them andd their sales will go up. and they will draw paralleles to their own country and such.
what a stupid move
what a stupid move
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AFP: SKorea on alert for NKorea shift after Kim's stroke
SKorea on alert for NKorea shift after Kim's stroke
and the old dying despot here was treated at the hospital but out now (too bad)....
Stare "up" for what? Doesn't he know evil people should look "down?
Le's hope these depots go into coma and suffer... for persecuting dissidents, martyrs and victims of conscience
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It is very important that Singapore persue this course of action, and persue it robustly.
This is of a fundamental interest for Singapore as a nation.
This lawsuit will send a consistent and powerful signal.
Despite internal debates and tinkering about the future path of political liberalization, democratization, and the like, this issue should be fully and firmly in the hands of Singaporeans, and on a time and pace of their own choosing.
I fully support Singapore AG, in his interview, when he mentioned this exact point himself, that Singapore has room for further changes and reforms, but one of which the shape, form, pace, and timing, should be determined by consensus of Singaporeans, instead of ceding it to foreigners who wish to impose their views.
It is very important to close ranks and support this move.
Fundamental core interest of Singapore.
Meat Pao
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Originally posted by Meat Pao:
It is very important that Singapore persue this course of action, and persue it robustly.
This is of a fundamental interest for Singapore as a nation.
This lawsuit will send a consistent and powerful signal.
Despite internal debates and tinkering about the future path of political liberalization, democratization, and the like, this issue should be fully and firmly in the hands of Singaporeans, and on a time and pace of their own choosing.
I fully support Singapore AG, in his interview, when he mentioned this exact point himself, that Singapore has room for further changes and reforms, but one of which the shape, form, pace, and timing, should be determined by consensus of Singaporeans, instead of ceding it to foreigners who wish to impose their views.
It is very important to close ranks and support this move.
Fundamental core interest of Singapore.
Meat Pao
fully support this, but let wait for the outcome of this case. I dont think getting and ang mo is easy. But things make get worst as Gopalan nair will take this chance to associate himself with WST.
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I have not read the WSJ articles regarding Singapore judiciary.
But if there is valid grounds that there is slander being carried out, there should be a proper response to it.
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Governments and Judiciaries have no need for reputation in the first place. I'm pretty sure Bush is probably the most widely critisized person in the world but you dont see him suing his own citizens for defamation. Valid or invalid i find it stupid to see a governing body sue citizens it is supposed to serve.
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What the happen to IBA huh?
How the come IBA not sued huh ?
Or maybe I wrongs?
72 pages a lot words to find sue-able or nots ?
I no no ler.
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Originally posted by likedatosocan:
What the happen to IBA huh?
How the come IBA not sued huh ?
Or maybe I wrongs?
72 pages a lot words to find sue-able or nots ?
I no no ler.
Being IBA of course it should know how to word its report properly!
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like those people horse betting says "SURE WIN!!!"
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is there any govt in the world that go around sueing journalist and publisher for defamation?
why our govt dont openly engage this WST or FEER in opeb debate and set the record straight.
somehow i always associate this strategy use by former NKF CEO to sue others in other to conceal the truth.
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This could be one of articles at work : Democracy in Singapore
Excerpt:
Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore can rightly be proud of many achievements, but full democracy is not one of them. The city-state he founded in 1965 and led as Prime Minister until 1990 is economically prosperous and its citizens enjoy a range of freedoms. Political dissent is not among them.
![[Lee Kuan Yew]](http://s.wsj.net/public/resources/images/HC-GH018_Kuan_Y_20051108133649.gif)
Which makes a recent David vs. Goliath exchange
between one of the country's few opposition politicians and Mr. Lee
worth noting. The dialogue took place in a courtroom and is therefore
privileged – which means we can report on it without risking a lawsuit,
which Mr. Lee often files against critics.